The Phantagraph v04n04 [1936-07]

<THIb PHAHTA&EAPH

“Published, Monthly for the Phantasy Enthusiast”

Vol. 4 JULY, 1936 No. 4

“NOSTALGIA "

by

H. P. Lovecraft

Once every year, in autumn’s wistful glow,

The birds fly out over an ocean waste,

Calling and chattering in a joyous haste
To reach some land their inner memories know.
Great terraced gardens where bright blossoms blow,
And lines of mangoes luscious to the taste,

And temple groves with branches overlaced
Over cool paths—all these their vague dreams show.

They search the sea for marks of their old shore—
For the tall city, white and turreted—

But only empty waters stretch ahead,

So that at last they turn away once more.

Yet, sunken deep where alien polyps throng,

The old towers miss their lost, remembered song.

Page 2

The PHANTAGRAPH

LOST EXCERPTS

By Robert Nelson
III. THE FLINGING OF THE ROCKS

He stood upon the precipice of the world, laughing
wildly and flinging golden rocks of happiness upon the
mountains, valleys, and seas below. The hoary mount¬
ains were crowned with gold and quaked in glee; the
manifold valleys shook their bosoms and babbled in
joyousness; the heaving seas shone with the golden
blood of the bursting rocks.

The laughing winds screamed about him and perished
in the golden mist far beneath. He stood on golden
feet; and golden blood sped through his veins. In end¬
less perpetuation he hurled the rocks of golden
happiness until they all flowed in one mighty stream,
and men knew not where it began nor where it ceased.
And he defied both heaven and hell to halt him. His
words were almighty cannons of universe-splitting
bombardment, crashing levin-flashes that turned the
eye to stone, the soul to everlasting darkness. His curses
mingled with the golden torrent, and the rocks became
happier.

They made the sun to dribble hot tears of golden gladness, and spattered upon
the sullen moon a flushed gold, so that it turned more swiftly, letting men see its
other side for the first time. Then they slew each other in city and on plain in
mad jubilation. And the dead rose to die again with grim laughter stamped on
their skulls. Blue flowers were sprinkle with the powder of the dead, and drank
the blood of the dying and turned golden. On and on came the rocks. They
whirled in the cosmic dust and burned in a million worlds.

The PHANTAGRAPH Page 3

SUN — SPOTS

by Donald A, Wollheim

It is our sad duty to announce that David R. Daniels,
promising yong author, committed suicide two months
ago...The first fan magazine from the Southern
Hemisphere is the “Science Fiction Bulletin” from New
Zealand...Bob Tucker married Mary Jane Joesting on
March 16 th. And Virginia Parks Parker married John
Harakus at about the same time. Congratulations to all
of you...A special I.S.A. printed Rocket Bulletin is being
projected...Since my last column I have heard that Jack
Darrow, O. A. Kline and Weird Tales itself have com¬
plete files of that magazine...Robert Bloch is finishing
his first book “In Bed We Laugh”- a Thorne Smithian
burlesque. Weird Tales has taken his “Creeper in the
Crypt,” “Not Always Blind,” and “The Dark Demon”
...J. Thos. Wood, former editor of “Underworld” may
launch a new stf. magazine this year...The British stf.
mag. has been put off...The new English fan mag. will
be called “British Phantasy Review.” It will be edited
by Gllings and Carnell...Duane W. Rimel has had his

first acceptance from WT with “The Disinterment”...In the 1936 Writer’s
Year Book appear photos of Otto Binder, Allen Kline, Howard Wandrei, Mort
Weisinger, Leo Margulies, A. J. Burks, and Henry Kostkos...Claire P. Beck
has dropped out of stf...Donald Wollheim now owns the “Science Fiction
Review”...If you would like mention in this column let us know what you are
doing in phantasy.

The PHANTAGRAPH

Page 3

SUN — SPOTS

by Donald AiJSfo llheim

SUN-SPOTS

PCJT/CCIPT

The Phantagraph, July 1936

1i The next issue of Marvel Tales
will definitely appear on the news¬
stands. Wm.Crawford has com¬
pleted arra g nxents for its printing
and distrieu ion. It will be large
size and regul r polo make-up.

Cover in col >ur y Per guson. It 11
reprint “Challenge From beyond”

II: Still another fan magazine!

This time “The Science Fiction
Fan” '—

| that David R. Daniels,
bd suicide two months
from the Southern
Dn Bulletin” from New
!ary Jane Joesting on
Parker married John
| Congratulations to all
tocket Bulletin is being
t have heard that Jack
?ales itself have corn¬
et Bloch is finishing
a Thorne Smithian
his “Creeper in the
“The Dark Demon”
f “Underworld” may
?ar...The British stf.
English fan mag. will
w.” It will be edited
i Rimel has had his

jient”...In the 1936 Writer’s
jjline, Howard Wandrei, Mort
l*y Kostkos...Claire P. Beck
! owns the “Science Fiction
ban let us know what you are

r m pirnntasy.

Page 2

The PHANTAGRAPH

LOST EXCERPTS

By Robert Nelson

III THE FLf M<r,,KTr5! rvtr 'TPUr D AOLT O

He stood upon the
wildly and flinging go
mountains, valleys, ai
ains were crowned wit
manifold valleys shoo
joyousness; the heav
blood of the bursting

The laughing winds
in the golden mist h
feet; and golden blooc
less perpetuation h
happiness until they $
and men knew not wfc
And he defied both h<
words were almight]
bombardment, crash!
eye to stone, the soul
mingled with the gold
happier.

They made the sun to dribbl
the sullen moon a flushed gold,
other side for the ^rst time. Thi
mad jubilation. And the dead rc
their dkulls. Blue flowers were sj
the blood of the dying and turn!
■whirled in the cosmic dust and

Harold Hersey will bring out
a new novel-a-month pseudo-stf.
magazine called ‘Flash Gordon’'
It probably won’t last long.

Subscribe to The Phantagraph
“The only mn magazine worth a
nickel/’ NOW MONTHLY!

Cvinmg:

® BASQUE •

the third S.& W. publication.

Watch iQr further notices.

Page 4

The PHANTAGRAFE

THE PHANTAGRAPH

EDITOR__DONALD A. WOLLHEIM.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR _ WILSON SHEPHERD

THE PHANTAGRAPH is published monthly by Shepherd & Wollheim.
Individual subscription: 50fi a year (12 issues), or 5^ a copy. Address ALL
communications, Business and Editorial, to Donald A. Wollheim, 801 West End
Ave., New York, N. Y.

Member: UAPAA, NAPA, TFG, etc.

Metamorphosis

A word from the Editor

This issue marks still another change in the formal of
The Phantagraph. And we feel certain the final one.
From this date on, this publication will come out every
month promptly. And with this issue, we definitely take
the lead for monthly phantasy fan magazines.

Published as we shall be every month, 8 pages full of
phantasy verse, prose, articles and news, we feel certain
that we can hold our own with the best of them. Our
circulation jumps greatly with this issue. From now on,
we can state truthfully that we have over 450 copy
circulation a month! 250 more than any other amateur
phantasy publication! Thus your writings appearing
here, your trials at phantasy, scientifiction or weird
fiction, will cover a wider and more appreciative group
than was.formerly to be had. May we look forward to
seeing your phantastic works in our mail? Short poems,

fhe PHANTAGRAPH

Page 5

sketches, prose, or anything else having a phantastic
»r highly imaginative content will be appreciated.

A “Dream”

by William Lumley

Lo! I stood within a hallway

Measureless to mortal man

Whose great walls were dark, and shiny

While a golden river ran

Oer the floor, which leaped and rippled

Like the rays of noon-day sun.

In its midst there stood a tripod
And an image sat thereon,

This was veiled in mist and dimness
Like the falling waters’ spray
And above the silent river
Rose and melted fast away.

Though it was unknown unto me
Something told me oer and oer
Countless years it had awaited
For my coming to that shore.

Oer the tide strange shapes of evil
Flit, and whispered each to each
Words that fell like distant thunder
On my earsin unknown speech
Though twas speech it bore no semblanc
To the tongue of any race
But some lost, and forgotten!

Echo from oblivious space.

Oer the walls the golden waters
Leaped as though to beat them through
While the image seemed to beckon
And the veil was rent in two.

I therein saw this inscription
Graven there in snowy white
In unknown gigantic letters
On a tablet black as night.

“Know ye everything that liveth
Hath known death to purify
Life within yet thing or creature
That is dead can never die
In the circle of the spirit
All things shall endure for aye
Though they sleep and are forgotten
They shall never pass away.”

Page 6

The PHANTAGBAPH

WEIRD MUSIC

By Duane W. Rimel -and- Emil Petaja

Since the dawn of civilization and probably long
before, the soul of man has thrilled and trembled to
strange music of one type or another. The savage
voodoo drums of Africa; the harsh strains of Oriental
rhythms; the tango of South America; the classics, and
even much modern jazz—are filled in varying degrees
with an unmistakable weirdness. There is something
about a melody or succession of harmonic changes
portraying intense fear, sorrow, remorse, or other gloomy
moods of human nature that is easily recognizable, yet
quite undefinable. They awaken queer thoughts and
emotions which no mere language or tongue can
interpret.

One of the most fantastic compositions is Danse
Macabre , the ghostly Dance of Death by Saint-Saens,
Music such as Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherexade”
Suite which is filled with glamour and exotic charm of
the Arabian Nights> and his fairy tale operas, is
repleat with fantastic atmosphere. The Gounod Faust
ballet music conjures up a strange scene in a dark castle
high in the mountains of Germany on Walpurgis night.

Mephistopheles causes all the dead beauties—Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, etc.—to
appear and dance before Faust, who may take his choice from among them. Such
music evokes a weird and wonderful panorama. Edvard Greig's
Peer Gynt Suite is a masterpiece of fanciful, sensuous and sinister rhythm-patterns.

The PHANTAGRAPH

Page 7

Tschaikowsky is the God of sad and sombre themes, often heart-rending in
their pathos—sometimes welling up in sudden intense orchestral sobs—some¬
times low andvpassionate in exquisite depths of sorrow; while Rachmaninoff’s
compsitions like Isle of the Dead are spine-chilling in their vividness. There are
countless other weird compositions in the classics, and even such modern songs
as George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Ferde Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite possess
more than than a touch of fancy, and it would take many volumes to cover and
adequately describe all of the music of this type.

In literature we find that many masterpieces have been inspired by or written
about weird music. Poe’s great poem “The Bells” catches some of the elusive
charm that only eery sounds can evoke. Some of the best stories in Weird Tales
have dealt with the subject: H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Music of Erich Zann” ably
portrays a genuine mood of outre terror by the wild suggestive notes of a bass
viol. “Bells of Oceana” by Arthur J. Burks brings to the reader a sense of the
unknown horror inspired by unearthly music. The rites of Pan are climaxed to
the accompaniment of weird, piping strains, and we have all read stories in
which the Pipes of Pan are heard, reminding one of the drowsy Aoelian measures
of Debussy’s Afternoon of a Faun. Much weird verse is closely akin to music of the
same nature--and the two are very often combined with marvelous results. As an
example, two of H. P. Lovecraft’s verses “Fungi from Yuggoth” were set to music
by a composer of Los Angeles, Harold S. Farnese. Readers of Weird Tales will
remember “Sable Reverie” by Robert Nelson, for which music had been
written.

Certainly when great masters like Richard Wagner, Felix Mendelssohn and
Jan Sibelius and others have expressed themselves through the medium of
weird, haunting music, it is at once raised to immortal levels.

Printed by Irwin O. Brandt, Greenville, Ohio.

Page 8

THE PRANTAGRAPH

Announcing

FANCIFUL TALES

A new printed quarterly of phantastic fiction. Fine
stories of weird fiction, science fiction, or phantasy by
some of the best writers in the field. In the first issue
we will feature “THE NAMELESS CITY,” an hitherto
unpublished story by that master of masters H. P.
LOVECRAFT. A gripping story of the accursed ruins
in Arabia Deserta and of the eldritch wind that blew
from a cliff door. Reminiscent of his “At the Mountains
of Madness” and of the Elder Gods tales. Also in
Fanciful Tales will appear stories by August W.
Derleth, Dr. David H. Keller, J. Harvey Haggard,
Ralph Milne Farley, Robert Bloch, L. A. Eshbach, and
others. Illustrated by Clay Ferguson and Duane Rimel.

20a copy, 75^ a year (4 issues).

Shepherd & Wollheim, Publishers, Oakman, Ala.

Coming In The Phantagraph

Robert E. Howard’s “The Hyborian Age” will be continued bi-monthly in
a special supplement. In next issue will appear R. H. Barlow’s “Annals of the
Jinns.” Don’t miss our forthcoming issues!